Washingtonians who qualify for Cascade Care Savings can still sign up and save
The wait is over — Cascade Care Savings is here! Open enrollment may have ended but that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you haven’t purchased a plan. A new special enrollment period is available to individuals and families who make up to 250% of the federal poverty level.
“Cascade Care Savings has opened the door for thousands of Washingtonians to secure high-quality health insurance at any time of the year,” Washington Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange) interim CEO Jim Crawford said. “This special enrollment period is available monthly to those who qualify for Cascade Care Savings who are not already in an eligible plan.”
Completed applications/ redeterminations processed through the integrated eligibility system: 25,972
The 108,110 figure may change slightly when the official Open Enrollment Period (OEP) report is released due to last-minute data corrections, but assuming this is the final figure, it means Connecticut's OEP Qualified Health Plan (QHP) enrollment is down just over 4% year over year, from 112,633 during the 2022 OEP. As I noted last week, this is part of a strange trend for 2023: While Medicaid expansion states on the federal exchange are up ~10% vs. last year, most state-based marketplaces (SBMs), including Connecticut, are down somewhat this year.
I'll be posting a second entry addressing that article, the study it cites, and some misinformation about the red/blue divide later this week, but first, let's take a look at where things stand as of mid-January.
Administration policies helped increase coverage among younger adults, Latino individuals, American Indian/Alaska Native, and non-English speaking adults
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a new report showing that Biden-Harris Administration efforts were linked to large gains in health insurance coverage of Americans between 2019 and 2021. The Biden-Harris Administration has made expanding access to health insurance and lowering health care costs for America’s families a top priority, and under its leadership, the national uninsured rate reached an all-time low early in 2022. The report, from the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), shows that larger gains in coverage occurred for demographic groups with higher historical uninsured rates, including younger adults, Latino individuals, American Indian/Alaska Native, and non-English speaking adults.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is urging Maine residents who lack affordable health insurance to sign up by the deadline of Sunday, January 15, for a 2023 health plan through CoverME.gov, Maine’s health insurance marketplace.
At CoverME.gov, Maine people can compare private plans, apply for financial assistance, and enroll in a 2023 health plan. Health plans offered on CoverME.gov provide quality, comprehensive insurance that protects consumers if they have an accident or major illness and fully pays for preventive screenings for diseases such as cancer and diabetes. This year, more Maine people than ever can get financial help to afford their plans.
As I noted in yesterday's analysis of the semi-final 2023 Open Enrollment Period report released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, one of the most striking data points we're seeing this year is a significant drop in year over year on-exchange enrollment across a number of states operating their own ACA exchanges...even as enrollment continues to surge across states hosted on the federal exchange (HealthCare.Gov).
Overall, QHP enrollment in HC.gov states (Federally Facilitated Marketplaces, or FFMs) is up 19.6% vs. the same point last year, while QHP enrollment in state-based marketplace states (SBMs) is down 2.8% year over year:
ST. PAUL, Minn.—Minnesotans looking for health coverage in 2023 have until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, January 15, to enroll in private health plans through MNsure.
“More Minnesotans than ever before are eligible to shop for lower cost health insurance and access financial help through MNsure,” said MNsure CEO Nate Clark. “Don’t assume you won’t qualify for savings. Take another look, review your options, and sign up by the January 15 deadline so you don’t miss your opportunity to get comprehensive health coverage in 2023 and save hundreds of dollars per month.”
On average, MNsure enrollees will save $560/month in 2023. All plans sold through MNsure are guaranteed to cover a list of essential health benefits that includes prescription drugs, emergency services and preventive care like flu shots and cancer screenings. Plans that don’t provide comprehensive coverage can leave you at risk for high, unexpected medical costs if you get sick or need to go to a hospital.
Hispanic leaders to discuss overcoming barriers and access to health care and the state of enrollment opportunities at the 8th Annual Hispanic Leadership Health Forum
WHAT:
While recent national studies show the Hispanic community has seen among the biggest drops in uninsured rates thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), those same studies show that Hispanics have the highest uninsured rates of any racial or ethnic group nationwide. In 2020, the US Census reported that 49.9% of Hispanics had private health insurance coverage, as compared to 73.9% for non-Hispanic whites.
Marylanders have until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 15, to enroll in a health or dental plan for 2023. Consumers who enroll by Jan. 15 will have coverage starting Feb. 1, 2023.
Visit MarylandHealthConnection.gov or download the free Enroll MHC mobile app to compare plans and enroll. New this year, Marylanders can get connected with a broker in 30 minutes or less by visiting here. Or call 1-855-642-8572 toll-free from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15. Help is available in more than 200 languages. Local health insurance navigators are also available to answer questions and help you enroll in person, by phone or on your computer.
